Computer and Electronic Engineering

Shanee.

Can someone give me the low-down of whats involved in this course? Want to do it next year so just want to know whats involved..

Shanee.

BUMP

PerrinV2

Well I'm finishing up the electronic systems course there this year which is the exact same course bar one subject,like we and the engineers are mixed in all the same class's (which if I had known that I would have done the engineering course).
So is your question on the lecturers,the facilities or the general layout of the course?

Shanee.

Layout of course, hours a week and overall what you think about that course?

Blueprint

I just finished first year. The hours are pretty long - 24 hours a week, but spread out so you're in college from 9-6 most days. We were on from 9-4 on Fridays without a break the first semester, which was no fun at all!

It's hard at times and you do need to do a good bit of work and I was really worried if I'd be up to it before I started, but it's going well so far. A lot of the modules are continuous assessment, which puts some of the pressure off for the exams.

We get to do quite a lot of labs, which are good, as you're learning by doing. Two of the modules cover the basic principles of electronics (one covering more the calculation side and the other the theory), one each for digital electronics, pc and multimedia basics and maths, one for web design and SW animation, which gets you used to computer languages, as the course turns into a very software development driven course in later years - a lot of people didn't really realize this when starting the course, so if sitting in front of a PC is not your thing you might find it hard in later years. There is also a project module where you design and build a circuit, which everyone enjoyed. And a module introducing basic mechanical skills like assembling your own housings and so on in the first semester and drawing and circuit board design software in the second.

I'd say it is one of the hardest course in the college and also one of the longest hours, but it's an interesting subject and well worth doing.

If you do decide to do it, they expect you to have your own proto-board, basic electronic tool kit (desoldering pump and pliers etc.) and a lab coat and safety boots at the start of the year, so I'd advise you to buy most of them on ebay rather than getting ripped off locally once the course starts!

PerrinV2

Blueprint summed it up pretty well there,like he said it can be quite hard but I found if you keep your attendence up then you'll be fine as most of the lectures are quite good as are there notes.
+1 on buying your own equipment online,I didn't and got robbed when I bought it in an electronics store

Shanee.

Thanks a million for that hope to get it now.

Secoundrow

Has been summed up pretty well already but ill give ya my two cents ,

just finished second year and although youll find that the course tends to punish you if you dont work through out the year id defo say to go for it.. as it stands now electronic engineering is the most employable engineering trade in my opinion. so as was said above attend your labs at all costs or youll feel it at the end of the year.

try to pick up some of the gear for the course like basic tools early as the likes of "the electronics store in town" better not give a name is expensive for the bits youll need.

The lecturers are sound for the most part anyway, but staff quality varys in every course so i think really were lucky enough that we have got mostly quality lecturers

carja

Hi Shanee, I've just completed 1st year in Computer and Electronic Engineering and I must say that it was a very enjoyable and interesting course:). It was hard enough but I found that if you attended most of the lectures and the Labs you did well in the final exams:cool:. The maths was what I was worried about when I started but it wasn't that bad at all. The project work is very good and introduction to writing software and designing and producing your own website is pretty cool stuff. My advice to you is go for it if your willing to put in the effort. I'm certainly looking forward to year 2!:cool:

Shanee.

Looking forward to it already...any idea what the points will be like this year? Or what were they like last year?

carja

Not sure but I think they were less than 180. There was quite a few from last year dropped out, but most of them were the ones that kept missing the lectures and they just found it hard to catch up. Best thing is to attend as much as possible and hand in your assignments on time! Good Luck Shanee!

Shanee.

Thanks very much!

christy_weezer

I'm going doing the add on 2 year course of this, was in sligo for the level 7 but they dont run the level 8 up there so coming down to galway to do it, anyone able to give me a summary of whats on the course? how many hours a week etc?

rentadrummer

christy_weezer wrote: »

I'm going doing the add on 2 year course of this, was in sligo for the level 7 but they dont run the level 8 up there so coming down to galway to do it, anyone able to give me a summary of whats on the course? how many hours a week etc?

I did the add-on a couple of years ago. It's a good course; by the end of it you will know and be able to do a lot of stuff. There is a lot of programming in the course, which is good because there are a lot of jobs for software developers. Throughout the course you cover Java, C, Assembly and a small bit of VHDL and SQL. There are a lot of hours in the course, probably 26 - 32 hours.

In the 1st year of the course you cover how operating systems work and do some shell programming with Windows and Ubuntu Linux. There is also a module on Java programming starting from basics but it's pretty fast moving. Digital systems you learn about FPGAs and other programmable devices and do a small bit of VHDL programming. Embedded systems you cover the 8051 microcontroller and program it in Assembly language and in C. You do a bit of maths but it's not difficult really. There is a module on communication Networks where you learn about how networks work and do some socket programming. You will also do a language, it was spanish when I was there.
The course has changed a small bit, there is work placement in March (I think). Some students got placements in Intel, Ericson, Cisco to name a few. Some students even had job offers from the companies when they finished their work experience.

In the second year you cover real time operating systems on an embedded device, this subject is a bit tricky but doable. There is digital signal processing class where you learn how to do some sound processing and image processing. You do some client-server and database programming. We covered J2ME (mobile Java) programming when I was doing the course but I think that they are doing Android in that subject now. There are also some modules on software engineering and project management.

The final year project takes up a lot of the hours. Typical projects consist of a microcontroller reading in values from some sensors and do some processing and send to a program on a PC where it would be graphed and get stored in a database. There have been some cool projects before, one year some guy made a robot that solved a rubix cube; another year some guy made a 3D engine from scratch and used it with the Nintendo Wii remote to make some cool apps.
Best of luck with the course!

christy_weezer

cheers man! I'm in my 5th week now and your pretty much spot on! thought they havent mentioned anything about a language so I'm guessing they dont do that anymore, but cheers for the insight, great to hear from someone that's already done it!